Tongs



Dec. 5, 1933. s. N. J. cosSoR TONGS Filed June 27, 1932 WW M .5

m @l TQ f/ /av Patented Dec. 5, 1933 UNITED STATES TON GS Samuel Nicholas James Cossor, Albury, New South Wales, Australia Application June Z7, 1932, Serial No. 619,548,

and in Australia July 7, 1931 8 Claims.

This invention relates to holdfasts or like devices suitable for gripping objects to be suspended or to be lifted or lowered by crane, block and tackle or similar lifting gear. As typical examples the suspension of hides, fibrous plaster sheets and such like from stationary supports, and the raising and lowering of masonry byV means of crane or the like may be mentioned.

One of the objects of the invention is to pro- Vide an improved device of the nature indicated which will securely and effectively grip objects of diiferent thickness with a pressure which increases in proportion to the weight of the objects or to the strain placed thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device of the nature indicated which will enable objects to be readily and securely gripped and to be as readily released when so desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the nature indicated which will securely grip articles such as hides, pelts, fibrous plaster sheets and such like without damaging same. The above and other objects of the invention will be more readily appreciated from the following description, aided by the accompanying drawing, referring to certain practical embodiments of the invention, it being understood that various modifications, alterations or additions may be incorporated in the construction and arrangement of parts without exceeding the ambit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

In thedrawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a device according tc onn embodiment of the invention, the pivoted gripping levers being shown in raised or open position ready to receive and close on an object to be suspended.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the reverse face of the device and in which the gripping levers are shown lowered with their lower parts swung towards each other to grip an object between them.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section taken approximately on line III-III of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of a modied construction.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of a further modiiied construction.

A device according to the invention includes a frame or body member 2 which, as shown in the drawing,` may advantageously consist of a substantially iiat sheet metal stamping. The upper part of the body member may be suitably adapted for connection to a stationary support or to the lower end of a hoisting cable or the like. By way of example the body member is shown provided with an upstanding head portion 3 having a hole 4 to receive a screw for fastening it to a supporting structure or to receive a hook at the lower end of a hoisting cable. Additional holes 4a, for receiving screws may be formed through the upper part of the main portion of. the body member.

A pair of upstanding intermediately pivoted levers 6, '7 is retained to the body member with ability to move bodily in a direction substantially vertically or lengthwise thereof and to Swing about their pivots in so doing. For this purpose the levers 6, '7 may extend side by side against or contiguous to one face of the body member and may be pivoted intermediately of their length to a slide member 8 arranged to slide vertically of the body member. A guideway 9 for the slide 8 may be formed by recessing the lower part of the body member intermediately of its width, the inner edges of the resulting leg portions 11 of the frame constituting the side boundaries of the guideway. A

As shown the slide may include two plates 12, 13 extending laterally across the guideway 9 at opposite faces of the body member. One plate 12 may be disposed at the front of` the body member and have its end portions overlapping the frame legs 11. The other plate 13 extends transversely against the outer or exposed faces of the levers 6, 7 in the same horizontal plane as plate 12. The two plates are united by pins 14 which pass through the levers 6, '7 and constitute the pivots therefor. The Shanks of pins 14 make sliding contact with the inner edges of the frame legs l1 whereby the slide 8 is effectively guided in its up and down travel.

In order to cause the levers 6, 7 to be automatically swung about their pivots 14 during vertical movement of the slide 8 and the levers,

the upper parts of the latter may have wedge like connections with the body member. In the drawing the upper ends of the levers are provided with guide studs 17 which extend through guide slots 18 formed in the frame. These slots may be straight, as shown, or they may be curved, but in all cases they are relatively inclined so as to converge either towards their upper or their lower ends. In Figures l to 4 they converge upwardly but in Figure 5 they converge downwardly. In either case the portion 2a of the body member between the slots forms a wedge like guide for the studs 17. The studs 17 may have enlarged heads 19 which overlap the slotsl 18 and ride against a face of the body member.

The inner edge portions of the levers kmay be provided with semi-circular bearing recesses l0 to accommodate a bearing block 15 attached to and extending between the slide plates 12, 13, the plate 12 having a depressed portion 20 in alignment with said bearing pin and in contact with the adjacent faces of the levers. This construction and arrangement prevents the levers from relative longitudinal movement.

The lower ends of the levers 6, 7 are suitably adapted to grip the objects to be suspended and as shown in the drawing the lower end portions 6a, '7a may be curved or flared outwardly from each other and one leg may have a toe or hook like projection 2l extending from its inner edge towards the companion lever.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, when the slide 8 is raised the lower ends of thelevers 6, '7 will be fully open enabling ready insertion of the upper edge portion of an object to be suspended between the lower ends of the levers. After this is done the levers may be swruig about their pivots i4 (the slide lowering during such movement) to close the lower ends of the levers upon the object 22 to be suspended as in Figure 2. The weight of the object 22 or any strain thereon tends to pull the slide 8 downwardly and owing to the wedge like action of the studs 17 and converging slots 18 the lower ends of the levers will be forced closer together to thereby securely grip the object.

The object may be readily released by raising the slide 8 thereby causing the levers to swing about their pivots and the lower ends of the levers to recede from each other.

In order to prevent inadvertent lowering of the slide 8 and consequent closing of the lower ends of the levers 6, 7, spring washers 23 may encircle the studs 17 between the levers 6, 7 and the adjacent face of the body member to provide a frictional braking effect which however is readily overcome when an object is gripped by the lower ends of the legs.

In some cases it may be desirable for the lower ends of the levers 6, "I to recede from each other in order to grip an object, such for instance as a block of stone, masonry or the like, to be suspended cr lifted. In such instances the levers 6, 7 may be crossed as in Figure fi and be pivoted to the slide 8 by a common pivot pin 26, the slide havingY guide pins 27 which engage the inner edges of the legs ll but do not pass through the levers 6, 7. Figure 5 shows the lower ends of the levers inserted into a hole formed in a block 28 of masonry or the like and it will be obvious that the lowering or downward pull on the slide 8, due to the weight of the block 28, will cause the lower ends of the levers 5, "I to securely grip the block by outward pressure.

Instead of the levers 5, rI crossing as in Figure 4, a similar effect may be obtained by forming the slots 18 to converge downwardly as in Figure 5, the lower ends of the levers receding from each other as the slide 8 is lowered.

It will be evident that the lower ends of the levers 6, '7 may have any desired gripping surfaces or may have gripping pieces, appropriate to the objects to be suspended or lifted, detachably or nxedly applied thereto.

It will be observed from the drawing that the dimensions of the head portion 3 of the body member are substantially identical with the gap or guideway 9 formed between the legs 11. This permits the body members to be stamped from a length of sheet metal of the width of the body member without any waste o material, thus making for economy in production.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isl. A holdfast or like device of the nature indicated, comprising a body having a vertical guideway, a slide composed of front and rear plates disposed at the iront and rear of said body member, means for guiding said slide vertically within said guideway, a pair of upstanding levers passing between said slide plates, said levers being pivotally connected intermediately of their length to said slide, and means including a pair of relatively inclined guide elements connecting the upper ends of said levers to said body member.

2. A holdiast or like device of the nature indicated, comprising a body member having a vertical guideway extending upwardly from its lower edge and relatively inclined slots above said guideway, a slide movable along said guideway, a pair of upstanding levers pivotally connected intermediateiy of their length to said slide at laterally spaced positions thereof, studs projecting from the upper ends of said levers into said slots, the inner edges of said levers being provided between their pivotal points with complementary substantially semicircular recesses, and a circular bearing block carried by said slide tting within said recesses.

3. A holdast or like device of the nature indicated, comprising a body member recessed upwardly from its lower edge to form side legs providing between them a vertical guideway, a slide movable in said guideway, a pair of upstanding levers pivoted intermediately of their length to said slide by laterally spaced pins arranged to contact with the inner edges of said side legs and thus guide the slide in its vertical movements, and ineens including a pair of relatively inclined guide elements connecting said levers at their upper ends to said body member.

e. A device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said siots converge upwardly and said levers extend side by side, whereby the lower ends of the levers are caused to move towards each other during downward movement of the slide.

5. A device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said side by side, whereby the lov/er ends or" the s are caused to move away from each other 8. A holdast orlike device of the nature indicated, comprising a body member having a vertical guideway extending upwardly from its lower edge and relatively inclined slots above said guideway, slide movable along said guideway, a

pair of upstanding levers pivotally connected inyh;

termediately oi their length to said slide at laterally spaced positions thereor", studs projecting from the upper ends of said levers into said slots, the inner edges of said levers being provided between their pivotal points with complementary substantially semieircular recesses, and a circular bearing block carried by said slide fitting within said recesses, said guideway consisting of a recess formed in the lower part of said body member, the latter having an upstanding head portion adapted for attachment to a support or cable, the head portion being of dimensions substantially identical with those oi said recess.

SAMUEL NICHOLAS JAMES COSSOR. 

